JOHANNESBURG, April 9 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to meet South African President Thabo Mbeki to try to end a political deadlock in Zimbabwe's election, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Business Day said the meeting would mark Mbeki's first overt involvement in resolving the crisis over the March 29 election.

Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has accused Mugabe of trying to delay the results of the presidential election to try and find a way out of the worst political crisis in his 28-year rule.

The MDC, which claims to have won the presidential and parliamentary polls, said Mugabe was trying to provoke a backlash as a pretext for declaring a state of emergency that could help him stay in power.

Mbeki, who has led efforts by regional countries to mediate between Mugabe and the opposition, has failed to ease Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis through quiet diplomacy.

Mbeki is on a trip to India. His spokesman said by telephone he did not know of any planned meeting.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said he was not aware of any planned talks between Tsvangirai and Mbeki.

MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said the meeting would take place soon, Business Day reported. It quoted sources as saying Tsvangirai spoke to Mbeki last week by telephone about the crisis.

Mbeki said at a governance conference near London on Saturday the situation in Zimbabwe was manageable and it was not time for action, drawing heavy criticism from South Africa's opposition.

Tsvangirai met South African ruling party leader Jacob Zuma on Monday after appealing for help from outside powers to end Mugabe's rule.

Although Zuma has no formal position in the South African government, he is the frontrunner to succeed Mbeki and his role as ANC leader gives him influence in the development of the party's domestic and foreign policies. (Reporting by Michael Georgy)

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